John b



No. 751,509- I PATENTBD FEB. 9', 1904.

J. B. HILL.

REIN GUARD. APPLICATION FILED novizs. 190a.

- N0 IODBL.

' INVENTOR (-9 BY 1 I .Aflomey UNITE STATES Patented February 9 19041 PATENT ()FFICE;

JOHN B. HILL, OF BLACKHAWK, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELIAS W. VVESTERVELT, OF BLAOKHAWK, COLORADO.

RElN-GUARD;

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 751,509, dated February 9, 1904.

Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,378- (No model.)

' of the United States, residing at Blackhawk,

in the county of Gilpin and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rein-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to rein -guardsr. e. devices for retaining reins on a horses back; and it consists in the peculiar and advantageous guard hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a per: spective View illustrating the guard constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention as connected to the back-strap of a harness. Fig. 2 is a transverse central section with the back-strap in elevation, and Fig. 3' is a detail longitudinal section of one end of the guard. r

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which branches 6 at its middle connected by rivets ing loop 9 at its middle connected to the plate a. The loops f are formed of a single piece of wire which in addition to the loops has a portion h, which extends through eyes i at theends of the plate and is connected to one of the lateral branches 6 through the medium of ametallic strap 3' and portions k, which are disposed parallel to the portions h and terminate in angular arms Z, connected to the other branch 6 of plate a through the medium of a metallic strap m. The portions is also extend through eyes a at the ends of the plate a, as

best shown in Fig. 1. The bar g, like the loops f, is formed of wire, and its loop 9 is connected to the plate a by ametallic strap 9 In virtue of the construction of my novel rein-guard it will be observed that the same may be made to snugly and comfortably fit the back of a horse and assure the pads g rest- -ing firmly on the back at opposite sides of the back-strap A, it being simply necessary when the guard is to be fitted to bend the plate a, the wire portions h and k, and the bar g.

In the practical use of the guard the same is arranged as shown in Fig. 1 with respect to the back-strap A, and the reins are passed -through it, so that they will be confined between the wire portions in and 7c, the loops f, the bar g, and the loop g thereof. When the reins are thus confined, it will be observed that they are held apart and are effectually prevented from falling down to the sides of the horse and yet may be freely manipulated in the usual manner to guide or control the horse. It will also be observed that movement of the reins through the guard is unattended by frictional wear of either.

Notwithstanding the advantages of my novel rein-guard it will be readily perceived that the same is easy to make and cheap and that when its metal portions are japanned, nickle-plated,

or otherwise embellished it is calculated to enhance rather than detract from the finished appearance of a set of harness.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in'the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of thesame. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myselftosuchspecific construction and relative arrangement of parts, as such changes'or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

As an improved article of manufacture, a

rein-guard comprising a sheet-metal plate having lateral branches at its middle adapted to be connected to the back-strap of a harness, and also having eyes 7 at its ends, upright par- 5 allel loops, of Wire, resting at the ends of the plate, and having portions extending through the eyes thereof, metallic straps connecting the said portions of the loops to the plate, a bar, of Wire, extendingbetween and connected 10 to the bights of the upright loops, and having a depending loop at its middle, connected to the plate, and pads disposed below and connected to the end portions of the metallic plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 5 nesses.

JOHN B. HILL. Witnesses:

JOHN W. STRAUGHN, E. W. WESTERVELT. 

